This year’s DIFFA Dining by Design was held at Pier 92, a short yet brisk walk from the AD Home Show at Pier 94, allowing for more participants and a more spacious venue. There were many creative and beautiful tables this year that I will be sharing with you very soon, but as it has been an exceptionally busy week both out and about as well as behind the scenes, I will whet your appetite with just one. I was lucky enough to sit with the New York Design Center at their spectacular table designed by the talented Lydia Marks and Lisa Frantz of Marks & Frantz Design.…

I was a bit surprised when Howard Slatkin shared on Instagram that his magnificent Fifth Avenue masterpiece was up for sale. New to the market, some lucky buyer will be able to enjoy the fruits of Howard’s incredible labor for their own. And while they may not be able to furnish the apartment in the same lavish style, the amazing bones will still be there. The entry will hopefully remain intact with its old French limestone floors, antique French wallpaper panels, ornamental plaster ceiling and doors from the Wrightsman Palm Beach estate.

Many of you own the apartment’s monograph, published in 2013 but if not, add it to your list of must-have volumes. …

One of the best aspects of the AD Home Design Show is that it covers the full gamut of design. As the leading US luxury design fair, it features an international array of offerings from art to appliances. In this final segment on this year’s show are picks from a variety of categories. Eric Trine describes himself “inside the middle of a triple venn diagram of art, craft, and design.” Through furniture, sculpture and decorative objects, he is an active contributor to the growing made in America studio movement. I loved his beautiful leather and metal frame Rod+Weave Chair in the handsome copper finish that is having its moment.…

It’s not new news that florals have been making a comeback everywhere from runway to interiors. At the AD Home Design Show they were seen in a variety of iterations. It could be perennially spring in your rooms with Thomas Long‘s beautiful hand blown glass sculpture. His Fontainebleau, below, is a dream in aquamarine, key green and seafoam.

Tyramin Design has closed the circle between fashion and interiors. From jewelry to furniture and accessories, artist Jenna Wetmore infuses her hand crafted work with personality and environmental responsibility.

Her Succulent Mirrors are cast in resin with incredibly lifelike detail.

I always make a point to stop at Pennoyer Newman whose distinctive garden containers and accessories are exceptional additions to any outdoor environment.…

Over the next few days, I’ll be sharing more from the AD Home Design Show 2015 in several shorter installments. As a reminder, the easiest way to receive updates is, of course, to subscribe directly (by entering your email in the box above the blue subscribe button on the right) or through bloglovin – the blue heart icon under follow the Q.

One of my favorite discoveries last year at the show was Voutsa, George Venson’s colorful handpainted wallpaper line. As he continues to grow his lifestyle brand, he finds new and original ways to express his creative vision. This year, his exhibit, entitled Voutsa Model Home, featured a dollhouse sized series of rooms wallpapered with the new collection.…

Last week Pier 94 was home to the Architectural Digest Home Design Show 2015. As DIFFA Dining by Design moved next door, the 14th annual edition of this luxury show for the design market expanded to fill the entire space. From large international brands to small artisanal craftsmen, the show offers a wealth of sources. As always, there were returning favorites to see and new exhibitors to discover. Some booths combined talents such as where the creative folks from Calico Wallpaper joined forces with Chen Chen & Kai Williams and Brendan Ravenhill. Below, Ravenhill’s Grain Family of lights, so named for the pattern of the spinning tool left and enhanced on the underside of the shades, sit against Calico’s Willow for a vignette of dark modern elegance.…

Whether at home, at work as founder and CEO of NEST Fragrances or contributing to philanthropic causes of autism and mental health, Laura Slatkin is always drawing on her interconnected worlds for inspiration. Since launching her line of home fragrances in 2008, Laura has built NEST into an enormously successful luxury lifestyle brand. And at home, her close family, including talented interior designer brother-in-law Howard Slatkin and creative entrepreneur husband Harry, has helped shape her glamorous New York City townhouse into a chic haven for family living and extensive entertaining. Join us for a visit and delicious lunch with Laura as we take a peek at her stylish and inspiring domain.…

While Schumacher has had their share of designer collections in recent years, their most recent collaboration harkens back to their illustrious history of pairings with the likes of Paul Poiret and Elsa Schiaparelli. When Dara Caponigro joined Schumacher as Creative Director in 2013, I thought it the perfect opportunity for the distinguished fabric house to branch out a bit more into lifestyle. Clearly fashion designer Lisa Perry thought so as well.

Her connection with Caponigro goes back to Domino days when Dara featured Lisa’s Hamptons house in September 2007, following the launch of the designer’s eponymous label. After a renovation, Dara, then at the helm of Veranda, published the updated version.…

Since we finally have had signs of warmth and sun, we can start looking forward to time outdoors and spring entertaining. Products from the fall tabletop show are now available, so it is a good time to consider what you might want to add to your collections. One of the most exciting updates has been the reinvigoration of Richard Ginori. Taken over by Gucci in 2013, the 270 year old porcelain brand represents a distinguished history of Italian excellence and creativity that deserves to be protected and rediscovered.

Gio Ponti was the artistic director in the 1920’s and many of his timeless designs are still produced today.…

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Bringing you the best in lifestyle from interiors and fashion to art, architecture and more. With fresh original content and photos, Quintessence is a destination for those who want the story behind the style. Learn more about the blog and founder here.